Demeter, Greek Goddess of The Bountiful Harvest Goddess of the Bountiful Harvest and the Nurturing Spirit In Greek mythology the goddess Demeter was the most generous of the great Olympian goddesses. The Greek goddess Demeter was beloved for her service to mankind in giving them the gift of the harvest, the reward for cultivation of the soil. Also known as the Roman goddess Ceres, Demeter was the goddess of the harvest and was credited with teaching humans how to grow, preserve, and prepare grain. Demeter was thought to be responsible for the fertility of the land. She was the only one of the Greek goddesses who was involved on a day-to-day basis in the lives of the common folk. While others occasionally "dabbled" in human affairs when it suited their personal interests, or came to the aid of "special" mortals they favored, the goddess Demeter was truly the nurturer of mankind. Demeter also was the only one of the Greek goddesses who could truly empathize with the human experience of suffering and grief, having experienced it fully herself. The goddess Demeter is best known for her fierce defense of her daughter, Persephone, who was also known as the child, Kore (or Cora).

Persephone's father was Zeus, the mighty ruler of the Olympians. The goddess Demeter had been one of his early consorts, long before his marriage to Hera. Persephone was an obedient, cheerful girl who had a happy childhood, playing with her cousins, Artemis and Athena. Reaching adolescence, she was carefree and spirited, often dancing playfully and picking wildflowers in the meadow near her home. Persephone's youthful beauty drew the attention of Hades, the god of the underworld, and he could not help falling in love with her. One day as Persephone reached over to pick a flower, the earth opened and the arm of Hades reached up from the underworld. And so Hades abducted her, dragging her back to his kingdom. Hearing Persephone's screams, the goddess Demeter rushes to the meadow, but cannot find Persephone. Carrying a torch, Demeter traveled the world day and night, never eating or resting, searching futilely for her daughter. Poseidon, god of the sea, noticed the goddess Demeter as she traveled and pursued her with amorous intent.

Then Demeter tried to fool him by changing herself into a mare and hiding herself in the middle of a herd of horses, but he was not fooled. Poseidon saw through Demeter's disguise, turned himself into a stallion, and took her at his will. When Demeter continued her journey in search of her daughter, she met an old and poor man who was gathering firewood who invited her to return to his home to eat supper with his family and to rest on her journey. When she told him that she was searching for her daughter, he wished her success and told her that he understood her suffering since his son lay dying at home. Demeter, goddess of compasion, changed her mind and went with the kindly man, stopping only once to gather some poppies by the path. Entering his humble home, Demeter went straight away to the boy's bedside and kissed the boy lovingly on the cheek. Immediately the pallor left his face and his breathing eased, as Demeter's love had restored the son to full health. Although it was the custom of the Greek goddesses and gods to become very vindictive toward anyone who failed to honor them in a dignified fashion, Demeter was such a kind goddess that she seldom utilized this privilege.

One of the few times was when she stopped on her travels to quench her thirst by drinking from a spring and heard a man named Ascaelabus laughing at the sound of her gulping the fresh water. Embarrassed, and angry at the man for being so rude, Demeter turned him into a lizard. Resuming her search, she soon encountered Hecate, goddess of the crossroads, who advised her to speak with Helio, goddess of the sun . . . reasoning that, since she had been riding her chariot (the sun) through the sky that day, she had surely seen what had happened to Persephone. Helio told the goddess Demeter what she had seen and that Persephone was now ensconced as Hades' wife and Queen of the Underworld. She also gave her the shocking news that Zeus himself had sanctioned the marriage, giving Hades permission to abduct Persephone. Understandably, the goddess Demeter felt betrayed. Renouncing her divine duties that included bringing fertility to the land, Demeter left Mount Olympus swearing that the earth would remain barren until her daughter was returned to her. She took refuge in the city of Eleusis.

Disguised as an old woman, the goddess Demeter was met the city rulers two young daughters at the well, and they, liking her immensely, invited her to return to their home to meet their mother. There she met their mother who was cuddling her infant son. This must have stirred Demeter's longing for her abducted daughter horribly. Demeter became profoundly depressed, almost catatonic, eyes gazing off into the distance and unwilling or unable to even speak. Everyone tried to all that they knew to cheer their guest; but it was to no avail. Eventually one of the household servants, a middle-aged maid named Baubo, came and sat in front of Demeter and started talking, mostly making humorous comments (most likely of the "male-bashing" sort), some of them quite risque. Encouraged when she saw the beginnings of a smile forming on Demeter's grief stricken face, Baubo hiked up her skirt and "mooned" the goddess. Demeter responded with a deep belly laugh that brought her out of the deep depression. Her good nature now restored, Demeter was soon hired to work as a nursemaid to the infant son of the city's ruler.

Caring for him lovingly, feeding him on the nectar and ambrosia of the gods, Demeter grew very attached to the young Demophoon and decided to make him immortal. But, just as Demeter was holding his feet over the fire (the ritual which would transform him into an Olympian god, Demophoon's mother entered the room. Mistakenly believing that Demeter was about to burn her son, she began to scream. The goddess Demeter then dropped her disguise, revealing the beautiful goddess that she truly was, and berated the mother for her stupidity in stopping the ritual that would have given her son immortality. In addition, Demeter demanded that a temple be built in her honor. This was done, and the goddess Demeter remained there, sitting alone in the darkness, once again depressed and grieving for her lost daughter. All this time, with the goddess Demeter refusing to function, the land grew barren and the harvests ceased . . . the earth saw a winter that did not end. Zeus finally opens his eyes to what was happening and sent messengers to apologize and coax the goddess Demeter to return. Demeter, however, remained adamant that she would not return until Persephone was rescued.

Finally, Zeus gave in and sent Hermes to command Hades to release Persephone. Persephone, upon hearing the news, rejoiced for she had missed her mother sorely. As she was leaving, Hades offered her a pomegranate to eat. Persephone had refused all food while she had been in the underworld, and was surely hungry. Although she undoubtedly knew that those who ate anything in the underworld were not allowed to return to the earth, Persephone accepted Hades' gift, eating only the seeds. Hermes borrowed Hades chariot and stallions and flew Persephone home to her mother as Zeus had ordered. Demeter was not pleased that Persephone had eaten the pomegranate seeds and would have to return to the underworld for four months during each year, but was otherwise overjoyed to be reunited with her daughter. Happily, Demeter resumed her divine duties and restored the fertility of the earth. Each year the goddess Demeter longs for her absent daughter and withdraws her favors from the earth for a period we know as winter, but Persephone returns each spring to end her desolation.

Once Persephone was safely returned, albeit for only a third of a year, the Greek goddess Demeter decided to reside in her temple in Eleusis where she had enjoyed the welcome and support of her friends during her long search for Persephone. There she developed the Eleusian mysteries, a series of profound religious ceremonies that taught her initiates how to live joyfully and how to die without fear. The story of Greek goddess Demeter illustrates the tremendous capacity of a woman to love and nurture, within her own family and the world at large. It also reminds us to stand firm for what is good and right, even in the face of adversity, when powerful forces are aligned against us. The goddess Demeter's message also reminds us of the seasons of a woman's life, that even though there are times of great sorrow there is also great joy to be found. Demeter - Greek Goddess of Harvest Demeter Greek Goddess of Harvest Demeter, Greek goddess of the harvest, was an important and powerful figure in Greek mythology. She was the daughter of Cronos and Rhea, and one of the 12 Olympian gods and goddesses along with her siblings Zeus , Poseidon , Hera , and Hestia .

The 12 Olympian gods were those that lived upon Mount Olympus and watched over much of the human race from there. As it is today, and probably will be forever, the growth of crops was essential to human survival, which meant Demeter - goddess of harvest, vegetation, fruitfulness, agriculture, and fertility - was of immense importance to human beings and was worshipped appropriately. Most famously, she had a major following just south of Athens at Eleusis, where a cult dedicated an annual celebration of the rites of autumn in her honor. In Demeter, Greek mythology had its caretaker and mother figure. This was a very important role that other goddesses sometimes played a part of, but none as fully as Demeter. Her grandmother, Gaia, was said to be the living Earth, though Demeter's name literally translates as "mother earth". This is probably because she was so actively involved in the growth and harvest of the food grown from the earth. Though vital, it was easy for some to take the harvest goddess's role for granted. It wasn't until she stopped doing her job that both the gods and humanity realized how important to human life Demeter really was.

It was none other than Zeus himself that tested the will of Demeter by promising her their daughter, the Spring goddess Persephone , to the god of the Underworld, Hades . The main problem was that Zeus failed to consult Persephone's mother on the impending marriage, and when the impatient Hades rose from the Underworld and abducted Persephone from a flowery field, Demeter was distraught. Having no idea what had happened, Demeter, Greek goddess though she was, dropped everything and wandered the land, searching in vain for traces of her daughter. While searched and mourned, the crops failed and the land became barren. Humans prayed to the gods to return Persephone to her mother before the situation became dire. Zeus was in a bind. On one hand he had to appease Demeter somehow, but if he went back on his promise to Hades then the god of the Underworld would be furious, as he already felt slighted by having to live in the land of the dead while other gods enjoyed their seats on Mount Olympus. Not wanting to have to tell Demeter about his error in judgment, Zeus sent the messenger god Hermes to her to explain the situation.

Hermes was known as something of a "trickster" and was more capable than most at resolving these kinds of situations with his quick thinking and silver tongue. He convinced the gods to agree that Persephone could return to the earth as long as she hadn't eaten anything in the Underworld. It was well known that Persephone had been on a hunger strike while in captivity, but it seems she had eaten from a single pomegranate. It was therefore determined that Persephone would be returned to her mother during the Spring season when the flowers were to bloom and new life was to be born. She would then return every winter to the Underworld to take on her duties as goddess of the Underworld and wife to Hades. Reluctantly, Demeter and Hades agreed to this compromise and thus the myth of the seasons was born. Demeter returned to her role as the harvest goddess and celebrated with her Elusian cult every Spring when her daughter returned. Demeter is sometimes considered the figure in the constellation Virgo , a reasonable explanation for the constellation, but one that I personally have some doubts about.

Demeter: Greek Goddess of the Harvest A Quick Summary - Read summaries of other major goddesses Demeter was the second eldest of the gods and really chill. She was pretty important as a fertility deity, and was often syncretized with other goddesses like Rhea and Gaia and with Roman Ceres and "Phrygian" Cybele . Though she never married, she was no stranger to the arts of love (well, duh, for a fertility goddess). In fact, her priestesses initiated brides and grooms into the "secrets of the couch." While she was still young she and Zeus got jiggy with it and produced Persephone (called Kore, or Girl) and Iacchus (which means Boisterous Shout by the way). The Titan Iasius was her second love interest - they met each other and fell in love at the wedding of Cadmus and Harmonia . After drinking way too much nectar to be good for one's judgement, they left the party and made love openly in a "thrice-ploughed field" When they got back to the party with that "after-glow" Zeus figured out what had happened immediately.

The fact that they were both covered in mud in all the wrong places might have aided his discovery just a tad. So, Zeus gets all jealous and throws a thunderbolt at poor Iasius and killed him. Other versions say his brother Dardanus killed him, or that his horses killed him. Mortal Foolishness This couldn't have been good for Demeter's feelings for Zeus. But she remained a happy goddess, only getting really mad at one person. That person completely deserved it though. His name was Erysichthon, or Earth Tearer. So, this young cocky man led a group of twenty men into one of Demeter's SACRED GROVES. It was planted for Demeter by the Pelasgians at Dotium. This by itself was enough to constitute serious punishment, but it doesn't end there. Apparently Erysichthon was building a new banqueting hall, and hoping to find cheap wood. He started cutting down the sacred trees to provide timber for his little building project.

I would have flipped out, personally, but Demeter - the chill goddess that she was - merely took the form of Nicippe (that means Conquering Mare by the way), the priestess of the grove, and calmly ordered him to stop. At that, Erysichthon raised his axe and threatened to cut her down. At that point Demeter had had enough. She changed back to her true form and cursed him to be eternally hunger. The more he ate, the hungrier and thinner he got. He ate his parents out of house and home (literally) and then went to the streets, where he ate the dirt. But she wasn't just punishing. This one guy, Pandareus the Cretan, stole Zeus's golden dog and she gave him the gift of NEVER getting a stomach-ache. Remember, she was bitter about Zeus's anger management problems resulting in a dead lover. The Abduction of Kore So you see, Demeter was a very happy goddess. Until the day came when Kore, who after this became Persephone, was abducted. When that happened, Demeter lost her joy and went searching the Earth for her.

As it happened, searching the Earth wasn't going to do much good. Persephone had been abducted by Hades, and he wasn't letting her go without a fight. Eventually Hermes came down and Hades HAD to let her go, but because she's eaten seven pomegranate seeds she had to stay there for three months out of the year. If you're interested in reading more, you should check out Persephone's page . So, back to Demeter. She went searching for nine days and nights, calling out for her daughter, not eating or drinking. Only Hecate could tell her anything. She recounted a tale of hearing Persephone's voice crying, "A rape! A rape!" and trying to rescue her, but never finding her. On the tenth day, Demeter went to Eleusis in disguise. There King Celeus and Queen Metaneira entertained her and graciously offered her the position of wet-nurse to their son Demophoon. Iambe , a slave in the house (and the daughter of Pan and Echo ), tried to cheer Demeter up with silly lascivious verses (iambic verse probably comes from her efforts).

In a related story, Baubo was responsible for cheering the goddess up - she pulled her skirt over her head and mooned the Great Mother Goddess - and it worked, the goddess drank her barley water and felt better. Then, an elder son of Celeus, Abas, accused Demeter of greediness while she drank barley water. Without thinking, Demeter threw him a grim look, and turned him into a lizard. Later, she felt bad, and decided to make Demophoon immortal. She put him in her sacred fire, chanting, to burn away his mortality. Unfortunately, Metaneira came in before the ceremony was complete, and Demophoon died. Now that was two sons dead by a goddesses hand, and Celeus began to think his house was cursed. In his weeping his name got changed to Dysaules (which means "of an unhappy house", more or less), and Demeter told him to stop weeping, because she would bestow many gifts upon his third son Triptolemus. So, she makes him "minister of agriculture" (as Bell puts it), but she's still pissed. She is the goddess of fertility and with her anger comes famine and unending winter.

And there were months and months of that famine until Persephone was released. And every winter, that lack of growth continues while Persephone spends her time in the Underworld. The Eleusian Mysteries This story is famous. It is the myth that we all know surrounding the Mysteries of Eleusis (the place where Persephone was returned to her mother). But the secret myth? Well, it is a secret. The Eleusinian Mysteries intrigue many, not least myself, and I guess in part that's just the nature of mysteries. But there are many mysteries, and many secrets of women, but how many entire cults (religions) and societies deeply are so explicitly linked to them? The Eleusinian Mysteries were practiced throughout Greece for thousands of years - even Heracles was initiated into the Lesser Mysteries (there were two levels of initiation - both secret). Demeter and Persephone were at the heart of those mysteries, and although we will probably never know exactly how, isn't it good to know that the Mother and her Daughter truly were so sacred in their terrifying, nurturing, wonderful way were so sacred to the Greeks?

Many people have tried to reclaim some sort of matriarchal prehistory, even me (especially when I was first starting this site and didn't know any better), but I have found that the complicated, probably quite patriarchal, but in many ways unknowable truth of the Eleusinian Mysteries is a much more fulfilling myth to pin my hopes on. Anyway, enough about me, if you wanna read a little more (somewhat academic, but still really good), I suggest the book Eleusis: Archetypal Image of Mother and Daughter, by Carl Kerenyi . Facts about Demeter the Greek Goddess Goddess-Guide.com Facts About Demeter The Greek Goddess Areas of Influence: Demeter is Goddess of the harvest and is most notably linked to the growing, preserving and harvesting of grain. As the grain Goddess she also became the patron Goddess of millers and bakers. She not only represented the fertility of the land but as a Mother Goddess she was worshipped by woman hoping to have a child. Demeter was also known as a mare Goddess hid among the horses to escape the attentions of the God Poseidon. He caught her by disguising himself as a horse. Afterwards she gave birth an immortal horse named Arion.

The God of the underworld kidnapped her daughter, and Demeter searched everywhere for her, taking on the form as a mortal old woman. She was given shelter by the king of Eleusis and repaid the favour by teaching his son the secrets of agriculture. Her struggle to save her daughter, Persephone from the underworld led to the creation of the seasons. This was because when Persephone was allowed to join her mother, this Deities influence encouraged the crops grow and Spring arrived. When her daughter returned to Hades, Demeter fell into a deep depression, the plants stopped growing and Winter returned. Birth and Genealogy Daughter of Cronus and the earth Goddess Rhea and mother of Persephone. This Goddess had five siblings all of whom played important roles in Greek mythology, they included: Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hestia , and Hera . Strengths: Loving mother, persistence and empathic. Weaknesses: Depression, lived her life through her daughter. Symbolism As Goddess of the harvest she is usually shown with a cornucopia or sheaves of wheat. She often carried a torch to guide her in the search for her daughter. Sacred Animals: Pigs and Horses.

Snakes were also symbols of this Goddess as her chariot was pulled by two winged serpents they are also symbols of feminine wisdom. Sacred Birds: The screech owl. Sacred Plants: In addition to the grains wheat and barley the penny royal (a type of mint) and the poppy were sacred to this Goddess. The mint was part of a drink consumed at her temple in Eleusis where her priestesses wore poppies as her emblem. The chaste tree, frankincense, myrrh and sunflowers are also linked to this Goddess. Demeter's Temple and Festivals Her temple was founded at Eleusis where according to Greek Mythology she stopped to rest in her hunt for Persephone. The teachings of her cult are known as the Eleusinian mysteries, they celebrated the cycles of death and rebirth. Sacred rites were held at Eleusis in March and September to coincide with the sowing and the harvesting of the grain. Demeter's Archetypes The Mother The Mother Archetype is a life-giver and the source of nurturing, devotion, patience and unconditional love. The ability to forgive and provide for her children and put them before herself is the essence of a good mother.

In its shadow aspect the Mother can be devouring, abusive and abandoning. The shadow Mother can also make her children feel guilty about becoming independent and leaving her. Demeter is a very devoted mother who enjoys the company of Persephone. She is additionally an Earth Goddess, bringing life to the plants and crops each spring. It is this role of the mother that she abandons when she goes off to search for her daughter. She is unable to fulfill to perform this function every time Persephone has to return to her husband in the underworld. The Rescuer The Rescuer provides strength and support to others in crisis. They act out of love with no expectation of a reward. The shadow Rescuer expects the rescued party to be grateful and will often try to keep that person needy. Demeter is distraught when Persephone goes missing and does not rest until she has found her. She is frustrated as she is unable to save her daughter and is forced to compromise. How To Work With These Archetypes The Mother It is not necessary to be a biological mother to have this Archetype. It can refer to anyone who has a lifelong pattern of nurturing and devotion to living things.

You are exhibiting the features of the shadow Mother if you smother your children and are over protective. Encourage independence and allow children to make mistakes but be available to give care and advice when it's needed. The other shadow Mother is the one that abandons her children, or is so busy that she has no time for nurturing her young. Rescuer The Rescuer is one of your Archetypes if you are always trying to save and help people. What you need to ask yourself is what motivates you to act this way? Are you expecting a reward for your trouble or do you love helping others? Demeter - The Goddess of the Harvest Home > Greek Culture > Greek Mythology > Demeter – The Godde… Written by GreekBoston.com in Greek Mythology Comments Off on Demeter – The Goddess of the Harvest In Ancient Greece, people worshiped various gods and goddesses because they served different purposes. There seems to be a god or goddess that represents almost every facet of life. Demeter, one of the major Olympic goddesses, represented the harvest and all things that came with it such as healthy crops and all that the earth provided for the people.

It stands to reason, then, that the people would always think of her during the major growing seasons. Birth of Demeter Demeter’s parents are Cronus and Rhea, two Titans who have sired five other gods and goddesses, including Zeus. She was their second child. In one story, Cronus devoured her with the rest of her siblings. Since they were thought to be immortal, they continued to grow inside of him. After some time had passed, he was given an herbal concoction, which caused him to throw up. As a result, he threw up all of his children. Demeter was the second to last child who came out. Goddess of the Harvest Her greatest area of legend is that she is responsible for giving mankind the knowledge to grow crops. Not only that, but she has the sole responsibility of making sure that the crops grow. The Ancient Greeks believed that without her, they wouldn’t experience a bountiful harvest. All the Greek city-states at the time depended on agriculture to provide sustenance and nourishment for the people. Yes, there were fishing communities and people who hunted animals for food. However, it is the crops that provided the majority of the diet.

Since Demeter essentially controlled Earth’s fertility, she was looked at as an important goddess. Mother of Persephone Demeter had a daughter by Zeus named Persephone, who was a virgin. When Hades saw her, he was captivated. He abducted her and brought her to the underworld to be his wife. This saddened Demeter, and Zeus tried to come to her aid and rescue her from Hades. However, Zeus was unsuccessful because Persephone had eaten when she was with Hades. Hades and Zeus compromised and it was determined that Persephone would be with Hades for four months out of year. Demeter would always grieve during this time and no crops would grow while she awaited Persephone’s return. Demeter and the Four Seasons Demeter is associated with controlling the seasons because of her control over the harvest. When Persephone is in the underworld, Demeter is too distraught to allow crops to grow. This is the winter. Once Persephone returns, it becomes “spring” because the crops are allowed to grow. During the summer, crops thrive. In the autumn, the harvest takes place. According to the Ancient Greeks, this was all Demeter’s responsibility.

As a result of her importance over the growing season, Demeter was worshipped throughout Ancient Greece. Agriculture was important to every city-state. Sparta, for example, was known for its skilled soldiers. However, they also possessed some of the most fertile lands in Greece. Wherever crops were important, Demeter was part of the culture. This post was written by GreekBoston.com Like this article? Please share below: CARME (Karme) - Greek Demi-Goddess of the Harvest Translation Crop, Shear KARME (Carme) was a Kretan (Cretan) demi-goddess of the harvest. She was a daughter of Euboulos (Eubulus), demi-god of ploughing, and the mother of the huntress Britomartis by Zeus. Karme's male counterpart was her grandfather Karmanor (Carmanor) , a Kretan consort of the goddess Demeter .

Karme's name was derived from the word karma "cropped" and keirô "to crop or shear." PARENTS [1] EUBOULOS (Pausanias 2.30.3, Diodorus Siculus 5.76.3) [2] PHOINIX & KASSIOPEA (Antoninus Liberalis 40) OFFSPRING [1] BRITOMARTIS (by Zeus ) (Pausanias 2.30.3, Diodorus Siculus 5.76.3, Antoninus Liberalis 40) ENCYCLOPEDIA CARME (Karmê), a daughter of Eubulus, who became by Zeus the mother of Britomartis. (Paus. ii. 30. § 2.) Antoninus Liberalis (40) describes her as a grand-daughter of Agenor, and daughter of Phoenix. Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 5. 76. 3 (trans.

Oldfather) (Greek historian C1st B.C.) : "Britomartis, who is also called Diktynna (Dictynna), the myths relate, was born at Kaino (Caeno) in Krete (Crete) of Zeus and Karme (Carme), the daughter of Euboulos (Eubulus) who was the son of Demeter; she invented the nets (diktya) which are used in hunting." Pausanias, Description of Greece 2. 30. 3 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) : "The Kretans (Cretans) say, the story of Aphaia [Britomartis] is Kretan, that Karmanor (Carmanor), who purified Apollon after he killed Pytho, was the father of Euboulos (Eubulus), and that the daughter of Zeus and of Karme (Carme), the daughter of Euboulos, was Britomartis." Antoninus Liberalis, Metamorphoses 40 (trans.

Celoria) (Greek mythographer C2nd A.D.) : "Kassiepeia (Cassiepea), daughter of Arabios, and Phoinix (Phoenix), son of Agenor, had a daughter Karme (Carme) [i.e. a sister of Europa of Krete]. Zeus made love to her and fathered Britomartis who avoided the company of mankind and yearned to be a virgin for always. She arrived in Argos from Phoinikia (Phoenicia)." SOURCES Demeter: Greek Goddess of the Harvest Greek Goddess Demeter Goddess of the Bountiful Harvest Of all the Greek goddesses on Mount Olympus, Demeter was the one who was truly able to empathize with the human experience of suffering and grief. . . for she had fully experienced it herself. As the most nurturing of all the goddesses, the Greek goddess Demeter was responsible for the fertility and the successful cultivation of the soil and the resulting abundance of the harvest. She is also known as the Roman goddess Ceres, whose name is that from which the English word 'cereal' was derived.

Generally recognized as one of the "faces" of the "triple goddess", Demeter represents the aspect of the middle age woman in the life cycle (the maid in the mother/maid/mature configuration). Persephone and Hecate feature as the young maiden and the wise old crone, respectively. The goddess Demeter is best known for her ferocity and endurance in the defense of her daughter, Persephone, following her abduction by Hades, the god of the Underworld. She reminds us to be firm and unswaying when we are taking a stand for what is right or what we need and deserve. Consumed with grief following the disappearance of her daughter, the goddess Demeter wandered endlessly through the world in search for her, creating many legends along the way. Demeter made a stand and withheld the harvest, and refused to "produce" until Persephone was freed. So valuable were her gifts that the gods had to concede, and the goddesses Demeter and Persephone were eventually reunited. Demeter (Ceres) - Greek Goddess of Harvest, Fertility and Agriculture.

| Greek Mythology Pantheon Demeter (Ceres) Greek Mythology Pantheon > Demeter (Ceres) – Greek Goddess of Harvest, Fertility and Agriculture Demeter (Ceres) – Greek Goddess of Harvest, Fertility and Agriculture Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture Demeter (Roman equivalent is Ceres) is one of the largest and oldest goddesses of the ancient Greek pantheon. She is the daughter of Cronus and Rhea, sister of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades (Roman equivalent is Pluto), Hera and Hestia. Known as the Goddess of harvest, fertility, agriculture and vegetation soil, protector of the land and its products, mother of cereals (hence her name) and mainly wheat. The birth of Demeter as the sister-dates goes back to the early years of theogony and accurately to the time when Cronus, son of Uranus, claimed and occupied by force the authority of the world. The fate of the blonde and beautiful daughter of Rhea, exactly after she came to the world, was harsh.

The small Demeter, like her brothers, ended up to the stomach of the heartless father, and was liberated only when her younger brother Zeus with his trick (magic potion from Metis) managed to fool him. Demeter as goddess differed significantly from the other goddesses. Smart and attractive, had renounced from the beginning her divine abode. She never lived on Mount Olympus, but to the temples specially dedicated to her, close to those who believed and worshiped her. Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Howard David Johnson Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Howard David Johnson The goddess of agriculture, discreet, modest and timid enough, had gained very early the sympathy and favor of the other Olympian gods. Her capabilities, skills and value had been recognized by all, while her personality and character demanded a special approach, special understanding and respect. Demeter, in the sentimental area, was one of the hardest and snobbish goddesses. Although she was not very strong and rigid to her beliefs, she did not succumb easily in “love attacks”, even when the candidate lovers were very remarkable. Poseidon and Zeus were two of the small number of known and aspiring conquerors of her.

They both persistently persecuted her and finally managed to seduce her applying various misleading tricks. Zeus was the first of the two brothers who tried to win. Although he suddenly fell in love with Demeter, he did not crave and besiege her as much as he did to Hera. The conscious and constant resistances of his sister made him think of cheats to trick her. Zeus transformed into a bull and managed to outwit her and from their union Persephone was born, the one and only beloved daughter of Demeter. Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by jjlovely Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by jjlovely Poseidon was the second of two brothers who attacked Demeter with sexual purposes. The goddess in order to avoid it morphed into mare and hid in the flock of Apollo Onkiou’s son. Poseidon, being brilliant, did not waste any time to perceive the trick. Without losing any time, he morphed into a horse, chased her and mated with her. A daughter (who was not allowed to pronounce her name) and a horse with black mane (Arion) were the fruit of their love. Demeter after her brother’s behavior, felt betrayed and cheated.

Unable to drown her anger, she became vengeful goddess until she flushed her hatred and fury in the river Ladon and renamed herself to Lucia. The Olympian goddess, beyond the erotic match with her two brothers, accepted and loved passionately a young mortal. At the wedding of Cadmus and Harmony, Demeter met the handsome Jason and immediately fell in love with him. Without inhibitions and shyness, she left the wedding with him and in a well plowed field she delivered herself in his arms. After their sexual union, Demeter and Jason returned to the wedding with obvious signs of their act. Sludge in the arms and legs, made all the wedding guests to understand what had happened and be very angry too. Persephone - Daughter of Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture Persephone - Daughter of Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture Especially Zeus, who did not like the goddesses to mingle with mortals, reacted violently to that association. He stroke Jason with a thunder, and after some time, the seed of Jason from his association with Demeter came to light, the small Ploutos (Wealth). The death of Jason was not the only evil act that Demeter experienced by Zeus.

Even greater calamity came when she lost her only daughter, Persephone, after secret cooperation between Zeus and Hades. Persephone was a sweet girl, glamorous and above all very beautiful. The youth, the luster and freshness fascinated all who came across and many were those who wished to conquer her. Even Hades, the god of the Underworld, could not stay unmoved by her individual appearance of qualifications, who from the first moment he saw her, he wanted to make her his wife. Respecting even their close family bonds that tied him with Demeter, he first came into contact with Zeus to consult him and then decided to kidnap her. At some point in time, Persephone had come out to play along with the daughters of Uranus in a meadow full of flowers. Hades kidnapping Persephone - Art Picture by Jynette Tigner Hades kidnapping Persephone - Art Picture by Jynette Tigner Full of joy as she ran from one place to another, picking violets, lilies and hyacinths, she suddenly saw a beautiful flower that really caught her attention. It was a narcissus who had a hundred flowers and its fragrance spread all over the prairie.

The existence of this dazzling flower was not random that day. His presence in this meadow was a product of the cunning goddess Gaia who wanted to help Hades seduce her beautiful niece. The little daughter of Demeter, serving the purposes of Gaia without knowing it, was not at all indifferent to this extraordinary spectacle. She was captivated by the special glow of the flower, wanted to acquire it, and for that reason she brought her two hands to touch it in order to pull it off. Demeter mourning and searching for Persephone - Art Picture by Jynette Tigner Demeter mourning and searching for Persephone - Art Picture by Jynette Tigner Immediately after doing so, the earth opened and from within, Hades sprung with his golden chariot and immortal horses. Persephone tried in vain to resist the kidnapping. The god of the Underworld, being cold hearted, was not moved by the tears and begging of her. He grabbed her by force, boarded her to the chariot and drove to the endless dark of his kingdom. Throughout the route, Persephone cried with heartbreaking voice trying to make her abduction perceivable, but it was very difficult.

The speed of horses as well as the huge distance and chaos that separate the two worlds did not make it easy for incident to be revealed. Only Demeter managed to reach the echo of the voice of her daughter but not in time. Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Shanina Conway Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Shanina Conway Demeter was a faithful and devoted mother to her daughter. Tender and sweet, she had a particular weakness for Persephone which was reflected in their relationship. When Hades abducted Persephone, Demeter was really upset. The heartbreaking voices of her daughter who reached her ears, made her worry and take action. She ripped the cover of her head, removed her ornaments, put a black veil as a sign of mourning and poured out to look for her. For whole days she was running on land and sea seeking for Persephone. For about a week no one told her the truth and no omen had been revealed. She was getting frustrated… Holding lighted torches, Demeter continued wandering with no sleep, bath and food. Although visibly weary, she did not abandon her efforts, but continued searching with determination.

Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Todd1000 (Amy Adams as Demeter) Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Todd1000 (Amy Adams as Demeter) The ninth day she meets Hecate on the road. She informs Demeter that she also managed to hear the harrowing voices of Persephone, but she does not know the reason or the offender. Coming into contact with the desperate mother, Hecate becomes sensitive and decides to help Demeter. She proposes that they should speak to Helios, because he was the only one, acting as a spy of gods and humans, who could reveal them the truth. Helios does not remain unmoved, having a desperate mother in front of him. Faced with her agony, he sympathizes with her and decides to reveal the perpetrator of the abduction. He names Hades as the perpetrator and additionally accuses Zeus as responsible, because Zeus gave him the permission and consent, to take the beautiful Persephone as his wife.

Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Gwendolyn Malfoy Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Gwendolyn Malfoy Demeter listening to the words of Helios gets furious and decides not to return to Olympus to ask for explanations. The comforting words of the glowing god make her more stubborn and unyielding and she prepares to continue her searches. During her wanderings nobody can recognize her. The fatigue and exhaustion have changed her divine incarnation so that no one and nothing can be aware of her. Sometime after covering great distance, the hurt mother arrives at Eleusis, near the palace of the smart king of Keleou. The exhausted goddess is sitting beside the well of Virgo, under an olive tree, to take a little rest. There she is confronted by the four daughters of Keleou (Kallidiki, Kleisidiki, Dimo and Kallithoi) who had gone to the well with pitchers to get water. In order to not be noticed, Demeter is transformed into a very old woman and enlists the help of four girls.

Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by JinxMim Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by JinxMim The girls watching the plight of the old woman pitied her and offered to help her. They called her in the palace but prior to the invitation, they request some information about her ancestry. Demeter accepts the invitation but is determined not to reveal her true self. She makes up a fairytale and tells them that her name is Dido and that she originates from Crete. She also tells them that pirates kidnapped her in order to sell her, but she managed to escape and after wandering she ended up in this place having dire need of support and help… The four daughters of Keleou are touched by the old woman’s story and having already gotten from her further information on qualifications around the housework and child rearing, they decide to take her with them to support her. On the way, the beautiful daughter of Keleou, Kallidiki undertakes the task to orientate the old lady around the area. She presents her the city, the large country houses and assures her that it will not be easy to find accommodation and work in one of them.

She also declares that her parents, now in their old age, have just born a boy that definitely needs extra care from a qualified woman. Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Midori Harada Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Midori Harada Arriving at the palace, the four girls leave the goddess and run to tell their mother about the incident. The queen is listening with great attention the stories concerning the old lady and she willingly accepts to help and sends her daughters to call her. The daughters run out with happiness to Demeter, take her and escort her to the palace. Demeter with covered face and black clothes, passes the threshold and confronts the queen and her little son who sat opposite of her on a throne. Demeter, on entering the palace, the inner space is filled with light and her head is reaching on the ceiling. The queen is initially upset and frightened, but then the awe causes her to get up and offer the throne to the dazzling unknown stranger.

Demeter unwilling yet to be revealed, nor to infringe the etiquette requires the respect and reverence of anyone to the face of a queen, refuses the honorary position offered by the queen and is sitting on a low stool covered with sheepskin which is given by maid Iamb. The difficult task she has undertaken and the despair do not leave Demeter to express herself freely. Silent and quiet, obviously miserable and desperate, standing still with eyes thrown to the ground. Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Natalie Busutti Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Natalie Busutti The atmosphere is very heavy and the maid Iamb in order to lighten it and give it a more cheerful tone starts making jokes. The cute teasing is affecting everyone in the room. Even Demeter, lured by the overall fun atmosphere, begins to laugh. The queen Metaneira rejoices with the, even temporary, change of old woman's mood. Full of kindness and sympathy she offered her a cup of wine but Demeter, because of mourning, does not accept it. On the contrary, due to exhaustion and hunger that lasted several days, she prefers to ask the Queen for barley and water.

The mother of four beautiful girls did not deny this and immediately commands someone to prepare it and to bring it to her. Demeter eats the prepared meal with bulimia and finishing, she announces her intention to take the upbringing and education of the young son of the royal family, Demophon. Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Perlamarina Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Perlamarina With great joy and realizing the special nature of the foreign old lady, queen Metaneira willing trusts her only son in her hands. Demeter in the form of unhappy old woman, takes on her side big commitments around the upbringing and care of the child. She promises before all, that nothing will be missing from the child and that it will never be sick. The statements of the foreign old lady leave everyone speechless. Nobody, at this moment, can imagine that behind these very consequential and binding words lies a goddess. All of them are fascinated by something particular that is emitted by this foreign woman, but no one can understand why. The raising of Demophon and special treatment on the part of the old woman will interpret what they see so far amazing and inexplicable.

Demetra undertakes immediately the upbringing of the child with a truly unique and special way. Without breastfeeding and without feeding, she anoints it daily with ambrosia, she blows it with her breath at the night and puts it on a high heat to make it durable and immortal. The offer, on her part, of such a gift is for her the best gratitude and the best reward towards the royal couple for the good things that were given to her. Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Zeoxisace Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Zeoxisace The upbringing of Demophon continued with the same tactics until one day, quite suddenly, Metaneira appears and understands the strange method of the foreign woman. The queen is shaken by the sight and strongly protests. Not knowing the divine origin of the unknown old woman, she gets really angry with her behavior and begins to fire threats in a very ugly way. Demeter, after the reactions of the queen, is furious and decides to reveal her identity. She does not accept any compromise and shows, from now on, the path and destiny of Demophon.

Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Zelda Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Zelda Moreover, she requires the construction of a large temple with an altar in her honor, which will be built in accordance with her wishes under the walls of the city on the hill near the Kallichoro well. Finally, she announces the presence of certain feasts in her honor, so in the future, her worship would be established in their places. Demeter does these statements, takes her true form, stands up and leaves. The queen, as the surrounding crowd, are stunned and bewildered. The little boy perhaps realizing the substantial loss of his nanny starts crying inconsolably. The realization of the wishes of the goddess is now a primary concern of the royal family. The next morning, king Keleos is informed and gathers all the people to announce his intentions. Without losing any time, he commands the building of the, dedicated to the goddess Demeter, temple and asks for the soonest possible completion.

Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Arpiwane Demeter (Ceres) Greek Goddess - Art Picture by Arpiwane Demeter, frustrated and desperate, shuts herself in the newly built temple and refuses to return to Olympus. Incensed by the calamities which have found her and from the adverse situations she experienced and continue experiencing, sends to the whole world the greatest misfortune that could ever come. She causes the seeds to stay hidden in the ground and makes the land barren and unable to germinate. Zeus watching that humanity would soon disappear, is forced to raise and take action. He sends primarily the graceful Iris at Eleusis to convince Demeter to return to Olympus, but in vain. The goddess was determined to not change attitude and behavior, and sends Iris back idly. She also sends back all other gods who went with their gifts to visit and try to persuade her. The father of the gods, watching his efforts end in vain, confronts a real impasse.

Hades farewell to Persephone, while offering her to eat a sweet pomegranate seed - Art Picture by Jynette Tigner Hades farewell to Persephone, while offering her to eat a sweet pomegranate seed - Art Picture by Jynette Tigner Unable to think of anything else that could bring positive effect, he decides to personally mediate. He sends Hermes (Roman equivalent is Mercury) to Hades (Roman equivalent is Pluto) and manages to convince him to set Persephone free and allow her to return to her mother. Hades obeys the words of his younger brother and agrees to release his beautiful wife, but did not disclose his sincere intentions. Saying goodbye to Persephone, the ruthless god of the Underworld, offers her to eat a sweet pomegranate seed, so that she will not ever want to return permanently to the mother. After the farewell, Hermes gets her beautiful daughter, readies his chariot and goes to her mother at Eleusis.

Greek Goddess Demeter (Ceres) Statue Madrid-Capitolio (Museo del Prado) Greek Goddess Demeter (Ceres) Statue Madrid-Capitolio (Museo del Prado) Demeter, facing her beloved lost daughter, falls in her arms overflowing with joy. She can't believe the arrival of her daughter, as she can't imagine a fair deal between the two brothers. Knowing Hades obsession and conscious of selfishness and stubbornness that distinguishes him, asks her daughter if her brother, before leaving her, gave her anything to eat. Persephone, innocent as she was, describes in detail to her mother the incident with the pomegranate. Demeter, sadly understands the importance of the event and says to her daughter that from now on, it is required to stay one third of the time near her husband and the remaining two-thirds with her mother. The result, although it is not the best expected, is not dissatisfying for mother and daughter.

Greek Goddess Demeter (Ceres) Statue - Detail from a statue at Kindros, carved around 350 BCE Greek Goddess Demeter (Ceres) Statue - Detail from a statue at Kindros, carved around 350 BCE Being so happy, to be with each other after so much adventure and suffering, they accept, in the mean time, the visit of Rhea at the request of Zeus. The mother of the gods, being happy and satisfied with the final reunion, is proposing as her son's mediator, the return of the two (Demeter and Persephone) to Olympus. Nobody denies this compromise. Demeter accepts the call and hears the request of Zeus to put an end to the calamities that she sent. Upon their return everything is done as before and nature is in full bloom and bears fruits. Demeter, happy again, will not only stand to the level of nature and fertility, but also undertakes to teach kings sacred ceremonies and to introduce them to the mystery cults.

Please leave a comment if you liked this article 🙂 All pictures are also uploaded in Albums on the Greek Mythology Pantheon page on Facebook, visit us at : You may also like: Demeter Demeter See More Demeter Pictures > Demeter was the goddess of corn, grain, and the harvest. She was the daughter of Cronus and Rhea . It was believed that Demeter made the crops grow each year; thus the first loaf of bread made from the annual harvest was offered to her. She was the goddess of the earth, of agriculture, and of fertility in general. Sacred to her are livestock and agricultural products, poppy, narcissus and the crane. Demeter was intimately associated with the seasons. Her daughter Persephone was abducted by Hades to be his wife in the underworld . In her anger at her daughter's loss, Demeter laid a curse on the world that caused plants to wither and die, and the land to become desolate. Zeus , alarmed for the barren earth, sought for Persephone 's return. However, because she had eaten while in the underworld , Hades had a claim on her. Therefore, it was decreed that Persephone would spend four months each year in the underworld .

During these months Demeter would grieve for her daughter's absence, withdrawing her gifts from the world, creating winter. Her return brought the spring. Demeter was also known for founding the Eleusinian Mysteries. These were huge festivals held every five years and very important events for many centuries. Yet, little is known about them as those attending were sworn to secrecy. It is thought that the central tenet around which the Mysteries revolved was that just like grain returns every spring after its harvest and the winter lull, so does the human soul after the death of the body, reincarnated in a next life. Demeter Is also called Ceres, Sito, Thesmophoros.

Question: Who was the Greek goddess of the harvest?
Answer: DEMETER